Motor-driven valve.



PATENTED DEO. 13, 1904.

E. O.. HOWARD. MOTOR BOWEN VALVE. APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 1B. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

N0 MODEL.

2,3 $iwlllllllili No. 777,373. PATENTED DEG. 18, 1904.

` E. G. HOWARD.

MOTOR. DRIVBN VALVE.

APPLIOATIOE FILED sEET.1, 1902.

No MODEL, 2 SHEETS-SHEET n.

WEE/vm mf/ya@ UNITE STATES Patented December 13, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST Gr. HOWARD, OF SPRINGFIELD. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHAPMAN VALVE MANUFACTURING C(")MFANY, OF SlRlNGFlELl), MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

NIGTOFl-lDFiIVEN VALVE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters -:Patent No. 777,373, dated December 13, 1904.

Original application iiled May l5, 1902, Serial No. 107,457. Divided and this application filed September 18, 1902. Serial No. 123,956. (No model.)

Be it known that l, ERNEST (il. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States oi America, residing' at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Motor-.Driven Valves, (the same beingI a division of my application iiled May 15, 1902, Serial No. 101457,) of which the following is a speci iication.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanism for opening and closing the plug' or g'ate of valves, and in particular to electric motors and mechanism 'for transmitting power therefrom to the plug' or gate in which the motor is provided with a hollow armatureshait through which the valve-spindle extends, said motor being' centrally located relative to the longitudinal center oil the valve easing' or frame; and the objects oi' my improvement are, iirst, to secure compactness and space economy in motor-driven valve construction; second, to afford means for locating' the motor in a central position in the yoke instead of at one side of the yoke or casing', as formerly; third, to render the trans' mission otl power from a motor so placed c'f- 'fective in every particular; fourth, to provide means for regulating' or governing' the rotary members, 'which means can also be used to operate the gate by hand, and, lilth, to provide mechanism which shall render a motor applicable to any of the well-known forms oi water, steam, or other valves. l attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in `the accompanying drawings, in whichl Figure 1 is a vertical section of a valve embodying' my invention, the motor being' partly in elevation; Fig'. 2, a plan view oivl one of the lost-motion devices that l prefer to use, taken on lines a' fc, Fig'. 1; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the spindle-sleeve which forms a part o'l' the aforesaid lost-motion device, and Fig'. 4L a side elevation and partial section oi' the valve complete.

Althoug'h certain features of my invention are applicable to valves without the introduction ol.2 lost-niotion devices into the mechanism, by employing such devices a much smaller motor can be used, because more power being' required to unlock the screw and start the gate, either to raise o1' lower the same, than needed for the performance ol the subsequent work of opening' or closing it it is possible and practicable to supply power necessary i'or all purposes with a small motor by resorting' to one or more of the aforesaid lost-motion devices. By providing a suitable lost-motion device o1' devices between the motor and gate a small motor i's enabled to gather sul'hcieut momentum to overcome the initial resistance.

Valves are divided into two classeswone in which an outside screw is used and another in which an inside screw is used. The presnv ent mechanism relates more particularly to the insidescrew construction wherein the spindle is threaded into the gate either directly or indirectly, which moves up or down on said spindle when the same is revolved.

Spur-gears are shown and described; butit will be understood that other mediums for transmitting' motion may be used, as worm or bevel gears, chain and sprockets, or any other practical mechanical equivalents.

Similar iigures referto si rnilar parts throughout the several views.

The valve casing' or frame comprises a yoke 10, mounted on a cap 11, which is in turn mounted on a body 12. A plug or gate 13 is seated in the body 12 and may be raised to the top of the cap 11 by means of a spindle 1li, screw-threaded at its lower terminal. The

threaded terminal of the spindle 14- may directly engage the threaded sides of a suitable opening or openings provided in the gate 13, or it may engage the threaded sides ol an opening in a non-rotary block 15, which has a certain amount oi vertical movement ina slot 1G in vsaid gate and constitutes one ol the means for obtaining' lost motion. Any suitable means may be employed to prevent the block 15 irom rotating; but simple and e'liecn tual means for this purpose are found in a rectangular block having two of its sides in contiguity with opposite sides of the slot 16. Since the block 15 is of less height than the slot 16, it has a certain amount of independent motion irrespective of the gate. The spindle 14 passes through a suitable stuffing-box and follower at the top of the cap 11, andthe upper cnd of said spindle has a sleeve 17 keyed or otherwise attached thereto and adapted to revolve in the yoke-head 18.

vAn electric motor 19 of any suitable construction having a hollow armature-shaft 20, through which the spindle 14 passes, is fastened between the legs of the yoke 10 by some suitable means, as the bolts 21. The motor, with a hollow armature-shaft, constitutes an essential and valuable feature of my invention. A small gear or pinion 22 is fast on the upper end of the armature-shaft 2O and should be made wholly or in part of some insulating material, as rawhide. The insulating-pinion 22 and insulating-washers 28 28 and bushing 24 around each bolt 21 completely insulate the motor from the surrounding and adjacent parts. A metallic washer 25 maybe introduced between each bolt-head and the adjacent washer 28. Power is transmitted from the motor to the spindle by means of an intermediate shaft 26, journaled in an arm 27, projecting forward from the yoke-head 18,' fast on the lower end of which is a gear 28, meshing with the pinion 22. Above the gear 28 is a small gear or pinion 29, fast on the shaft 26 and meshing with a gear 80, loose on the spindle 14. A hand-wheel l81 is mounted on the top of the shaft 26 for operating the gate mechanism when the motor is not in use. This hand-wheel may also serve as a balancewheel for the motor and is very useful in such capacity, since in many, if not most cases, it is necessary to have a regulating or governing medium for the rotary members. 4

As before stated, the gear 8O is loose on the spindle 14, and it is held against movement longitudinally of said spindle by a fiange 82 above and a flange 88 below said gear. The flange 88 may be integral with the spindle or rigidly attached thereto, and the fiange 82 is preferably integral with the sleeve 17. The spindle-sleeve may revolve freely in the yoke-head 18, but is held against longitudinal movement by the ange 82 below and a collar 84 above said yoke-head, said collar being securely attached to the spindle by means of a set-screw or otherwise. A clutch projection 85 depends from the fiange 82 into the path of travel of a clutch projection 86, rising from the gear 80, to provide for lost motion at this point. The clutch projections may be quadrants, as shown, or of other dimensions, provided their combined arcs do not equal a complete circle. Generally, however, the aforesaid clutch projections will not be greater than quadrants, but may be less.

It is obvious that the spindle-clutch projection may be connected with the spindle in any suitable manner other than herein shown and described, or it may be attached directly to said spindle; but the above method is believed to be equal to any, if not the best, from a constructive standpoint.

In operation the electric current is turned on to start the motor-shaft 2O and rotate it to the left to open the valve, and the lost motion afforded by the clutch projections is first taken up, then that at the base of the spindle, when the gate is raised. At first the shaft 2O revolves freely outside of the spindle 14 and transmits rotary motion in the same direction to the gear 8O through the medium of the pinion 22 and the intermediate shaft and gears hereinbefore described. The gear 8O makes one-half of a revolution before its clutch projection 86 contacts with the sleeve clutch projection 85, as shown in the drawings, when the sleeve 17 and spindle 14 begin to revolve and the first lost motion is taken up. As the spindle revolves it elevatesv the block 15 without affecting' the gate until said block encounters the top of the slot 16. Then the block as it travels up the spindle raises said gate. The first lost motion allows the motor to gather sufficient momentum to unlock the spindle from the block, and by the time the second lost motion has been taken up there is enough power to start the gate from its seat. The gate continues in its upward course until it encounters the top ofV the cap 11, when all motion ceases. The valve is now open. to revolve the shaft 20 to the right, and with it the gear 80, which takes up the vfirst lost motion and unlocks the spindle from the block 15,. said spindle until the second lost motion is taken up by contact with the bottom of the slot 16, when the gate is lowered into the closed position and further movement ceases. During the time that the gate is being raised or lowered the spindle 14 revolves freely in the armature-shaft 20.

It will be readily understood that one of the lost-motion devices may be omitted; but if both were omitted a much larger motor would be required in order to overcome the initial resistance. If the clutch projections are dispensed with, the gear 8O must be fast instead of loose on the spindle 14. By threading the 1 spindle 14 into its gate the`other lost motion is eliminated.

Various constructive modifications such as will readily occur to one skilled in the art may be made without departing from the nature of my invention. For example, instead of placing the hand-wheel 81 on the intermediate shaft it may be attached to the top of the spindle 14. 1n either case the hand-wheel may serve not only as a medium for raising or lowering the gate when for any reason this work cannot be To close the valve, reverse the motor NeXt said block travels down on.

IOO

IIO

done by the motor, but also as a balance-wheel. lf aiiixed to the intermediate shaft, as in the present construction, the hand-wheel must of course take up both lost motions before the gate is acted upon when this means is resorted toA for operating said .,gate; but if the handwheel is affixed directly to the spindle only one lost motion is taken up by it. llt will be readily seen, moreover, that the clutch-projection lost-motion device may be introduced into the intermediate shaft mechanism, in which event additional momentum is insured to the motor before the spindle is unlocked from the gate or block. lf lost motion is desired at this point, a clutch projection can be added tothe gear 28, which would be loose on the shaft E26, and a second clutch projection provided for said shaft. liurtheruiore, a lost-motion device in the intermediate shaft mechanism, as noted, may be used alone and the device at the spindle omitted. Since a lost-motion dediffer in any essential particular from that herein shown and described and specifically .illustrated in another application filed by me, I do not deem it necessary to encumber the present application with drawings of the same.

In applications, Serial No. 100,699, filed March 31, i902, and Serial No. 107,457, liled May l5, 1902, l have shown and described constructions embodying and broadly treating' general features of the system herein more specifically treated. The claims of the present application are, however, confined to specilic features recited therein, and more particularly the rotary, non-reciprocating valve-stem and the hollow armature-shaft surrounding the same. 123,955, filed simultaneously with this case, certain other features found in this application are speciiically claimed, hence are not claimed herein. For these reasons l do not in this application specifically claim the combination, with a motor, of a spindle-driving mechanism between said motor and spindle, comprising rotary members provided with clutch projections extending into each others paths of travel, a recessed gate, a nut on the spindle in the gate-recess, said nut being of less height than said recess, and means to hold the nut against rotary motion in the recess, as that combination is claimed in said application, Serial No. i00,699; nor do l specifically claim herein in a valve mechanism adapted to be operated both by hand and by power the combination of a valve-casing, a gate arranged therein, a non -reciprocating rotating spindle adapted to operate said gate, a hand-wheel or other equivalent means arranged to turn said spindle, a motor, a train of gearing between the motor and the spindle whereby motion may be communicated from the motor to the spindle, and a lost-motion device in said train comprising a rotating driving part in operative connection with the ln another application, Serial No. j

motor, a driving member having an abutment to engage the driven member after the driving member has made a part of a revolution,

the whole being so arranged that when the motor is at rest the engaging abutments on the lost-motion members are separated from each other, whereby the motor and intermediate driving mechanism start without load and obtain momentum before the driven mechanism is affected and the driven mechanism is started with a sharp blow or impact as contradistinguished from a gradual application of power to the driven mechanism, as this is claimed in said application, Serial No. 123,955. So, too, there is claimed in said application, Serial No. 123,955, the combination. with avalve-easing provided with an external yoke, of a gate or valve within said casing, a rotatable non-recijinocating spindle for actuating said valve, a motor mounted in the yoke and having a tubular armature-shaft which freely enciicles the valve-spindle, connecting mechanism located between the motor and yoke-head for indirectly transmitting motion from the motor to the spindle, and one or more lost-motion devices interposed between the motor and the gate, whereby the motor is enabled to acquire momentum before beginning to aetuate the gate. For this reason the specific combination just recited is not claimed in the present application.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. ln combination with a valve provided with a rotatable non-reciprocating spindle, a motor having a tubular armature-shaft encircling said spindle; intermediate gear connecting the spindle and said tubular shaft; and a member for manually rotating said spindle, adapted also to serve as a balance-wheel when the spindle is rotated by the motor.

2. In combination with a valve-casing provided with a yoke; a wedge-shaped valve within said casing; a rotatable, non-reciprocating valve-spindle for actuating said valve; a motor mounted in the yoke and provided with a tubular armature-shaft which encireles the valve-spindle; and intermediate connections between said tubular shaft and spindle for transmittingmotion from the motor to the spindle.

3. ln combination with a valve-casing, gate, and non-reciprocating spindle threaded at one end for actuating said gate; a motor havinga tubular armature-shaft which encircles but is free from said spindle; indirect connecting mechanism :for transmitting motion from the armature-shaft to the spindle; and a member mounted to serve as a balance-wheel for the motor and as a hand-wheel for manually actuating the gate when the motor is out of service.

t. .ln combination with a valve-casing pro-r vided with an external yoke, a gate or valve within said casing; a rotatable, non-recipro- IOO eating spindle for actuating said valve; a motor mounted in the yoke and having' a tubular armature-shaft which freely encircles the valve-spindle; connecting mechanismlocated between the motor and the yoke-head for indirectly transmitting power from the motor to the spindle; and a member for manually ro tating the spindle, adapted to serve also as a balance-wheel for the motor when the latter is in operation.

5. In combination with a valve-casing having an external yoke, a gate or valve within said casing; a rotatable, non-reciprocating spindle for actuating said valve; a non-reciprocating sleeve mounted in the yoke-head and fast to the spindle; a motor carried by the yoke and having a tubular armature-shaft which freely encircles the spindle; a gear on said tubular shaft; a gear adapted to operate the sleeve; and intermediate gearing connecting the tubular armature-gear and the sleeveactuating gear, said gearing being located between the motor and the yoke-head, whereby the motor is enabled to be .placed close to the valve-casing.

6. In combination with a valve-casing provided with an external yoke, a gate or valve within said casing; a rotatable, non-reciproeating spindle for actuating said valve; a motor mounted in the yoke and having a tubular armature-shaft which freely encircles the valve-spindle; connecting mechanism located between the motor and the yoke-head for indirectly transmitting' motion from the motor to the spindle; and one or more lost-motion devices interposed between the motor and the gate, whereby the motor is enabled to acquire momentum before beginning to actuate the gate.

7 ln combination with a valve-casing provided with a yoke; a gate or valve within said casing; a rotatable, nonfreciprocating spindle for actuating said Valve; a motor mounted in the yoke and having a tubular armature-shaft which encircles but is free from the valvespindle; connecting mechanism located between the yoke-head and the motor for transmitting power from the motor to the spindle; one or more lost-motion devices interposed between the motor and the valve-gate; and a member mounted to serve as a balance-wheel for the motor and as a hand-wheel for manually actuating said gate when the motor is out of service.

8. In combination with a valvecasing,va1ve or gate, and rotatable, non-reciprocating spindle for actuating said gate, a motor having a hollow armature-shaft which encircles but is free from said spindle; a gear loose on said spindle; means for transmitting motion from said hollow shaft to said gear; a clutch projection on the gear; and a clutch projection carried by the spindle and extending into the path of the gear clutch projection.

9. In combination with a valve-casing,valve or gate, and rotatable spindle for actuating said gate; a motor having a tubular armatureshaft which encircles but is free from said spindle; a gear loose on said spindle; means for transmitting motion from said tubular shaft to said gear; a clutch projection on the gear; a sleeve fast to the spindle; a clutch projection on the sleeve extending into the path of the gear clutch projection; and means for holding the spindle against longitudinal movement.

10. In combination with a valve-casing, a slotted gate; a threaded block in the gate-slot of less height than the slot; a non-reciprocating threaded spindle passing through said block; means to prevent the block from rotating; a motor having a tubular armature-shaft which encircles but is free from the spindle; and means for transmitting motion from the tubular shaft to the spindle.

11. In combination with a valve-casing, a slotted gate; a non-rotatable threaded block in the gate-slot of less height than said slot; a threaded spindle passing through said block; a motor having a tubular shaft which encircles but is free from the spindle; a gear loose on said spindle; means for transmitting motion from said tubular shaft to said gear; a sleeve fast to the spindle; a clutch projection on said sleeve extending into the path of the gear clutch projection; and means for holding the spindle against longitudinal movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST G. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

ALLEN WEBSTER,

F. A. CUTTER. 

